need some help on how to fish deep bayous during winter

I am trying to learn how to fish deep water for trout. I keep hearing that it is getting better and I know that as it gets colder it will continue. If im in a bayou that has deep holes in the bends where should i position the boat. where should I cast. I would think position on the shallow part and cast into the deep bend and bounce the bait back. is that right? Any information yall can give me would be extremely appreciated.
I hear nightfisher keep talking about deep holes any help would be great.
also what type of conditions should i look for in terms of tide or weather but also in terms of where a bayou empties into a bay or where should i focus. If in a bayou does it have to be in bends. thank yall for the help. never have tried this type of fishing.

If you can make it to Oak River in Delacroix I would. Its the superhighway to winter trout fishing in the NO area. Just anchor to any of the openings along the banks and cast into the Deep canal and work your bait back. the fish can be anywhere along the river. I like a falling tide. Make sure your weight is heavy enough to get to bottom.

As far as position you are headed in the right direction but it depends on the type of canals your are fishing and weather conditions. If the water is for example 55 degrees and its 70 outside those fish may move out of the middle of a deep hole and closer to the shallow water because it is warming up quicker. As far as presentation use as little weight as you can to still maintain contact with the bottom. If in a deep hole without alot of tide movemeant and even areas with moving water try reeling very very slowly. Just fast enough to keep the tail kicking. Also try slow rolling tsunami swim baits. As for how scott fishes, its the same way depends on water wind current etc. But 75% of the time when we fish together he lets the bait to all the way down and gives it a very BIG twitch followed by a few smaller ones. Hope this helps.

It is not that simple if you want to be real good at fishing deep water up to about 18-20ft.
Below is mainly for live bait fishing but in general in applies to plastic also.
First you need a good 7-7.5 ft pole with a sensitive tip(fast or extra fast) so that you can 'feel' the bite.A pole you use for cork fishing may not be suitable for 'bottom' fishing.
When you 'bottom' fish it really does not mean you always fish the bottom.The fish could be suspended anywhere in the water column.I use 1/8,1/4,and no heavier than 3/8oz sliding egg sinkers.Depending on how hard the tide is flowing,depth of the water and where the fish are suspended that day or that hour.
I use 10lb mono and a real good quality spinning reel for speck fishing and this type of fishing so that the line has a good steady sink rate and you can cast further using a sliding sinker rig(1/8,1/4 oz).Heavier lines don't cast as far.Distance in your cast greatly increases your chances of catching.
The length of your leader material is also a factor on hard running tides(longer is better).I make my leader(20-25lb) 24' and longer to let the bait swim more freely.To short of a leader and your bait sometimes does not act right or swim correctly like a live bait should.
Hooking your live bait and rigging your plastic correctly so that it 'swims'correctly is just as important.A bad 'rig job'will hurt your chances of catching.Always check the 'action'of your bait(plastic)and if your live bait is alive a kicking(not on life support).
There are many different techniques i use to fish this way and it more of a 'feel' to it opposed to watching your cork go out of sight.You can simply cast out and let it hit the bottom and do nothing.Cast out and 'work'the bait as it falls in different depths.This all depends on what the 'fish' want not the angler.Keeping the proper line tension so you can 'feel' the bite is important.when you cast don't click the bail(a big NO NO),let line out so the bait can freely falls through the water column.This is one of the BIGGEST MISTAKES ANGLERS MAKE WHEN FISHING DEEP WATER.It may take a while to put the combo of current rate,sinker weight(fall rate of bait),and technique together in order to catch the fish.Trout are very finicky in ther ways(just like a woman).If you get a strike or catch one repeat what you just did and cast exactly in the same spot.Casting accurately is also important once you find the 'strike zone'.What worked yesterday or 1/2 hour ago may not work now.
What to look for in finding a spot to fish.In general in the middle of a turn is a good starting point.The end of the turn also.Look for tide lines or current lines this usually indicates a drop off.Some spots 'look great' and do not produce and some spots don't 'look like anything' and produce fish.Basically it all trial and error and a learn as you go process. I usually stick my boat on the shore to fish the turns but that all depends on the spot you are fishing.That is another learning curve.Some spots are only good on an incoming tide or falling tide.Also it depends on the time of year water temp,water depth, tide strength and wind direction and speed,water clarity to mention a few things and most importantly the 'mood' of the trout at that time.
Hope this helps.Like i said it ain't that simple as 'just fishing the BOTTOM'.i have doing it for over 40 years.

thanks a lot, I am like huntingharry, I will try to put this info to work the next time out, the line the pole, ect.in and out tides all of it great info, you know nightfisher has an idea, 45 years on the water for you there is a lot of knowledge & experience in that brain of yours,you could leave your mark on the sport with a book, thanks again for shareing your knowledge.

Sounds like a great idea. I would buy it. Have not found any books on south Louisiana trout fishing lately. I need all the info about water temp and when they move and why and fishing the turns. it's Just infinite knowledge out there. Kinda feels overwhelming. For me to hook up on fish now it's more word of mouth, basic skills and a little luck.. I can't wait till I get to where I can say...'ok it's November, the tide is dropping 1inch an hour and its 71 degrees with a water temp of 60 and a West wind. The moon is half full and the barometric pressure is 725 millibars. ' so that means the fish are prolly 12-16 feet deep In clear water on the south side of the lake. Lol. It sounds like rocket science. But in reality you should be taking all that into account. Maybe one day grasshopper. Maybe one day. But seriously,,, thanks for the above info capt.

That is just snipit of info on fishing that i know about.Fishing the bottom or the water column is the real way of fishing to find trout when they think they are hidding from everyone....LOL
Maybe one day i will write a book with diagrams and videos before i pass on,not to many can grasp the idea of fishing this way.Of all the clients that i have taken out only a hand full has somewhat of a grasp,but that is after i tell them how and where to cast and present the bait. Then i still have to remind them... Yes GRASSHOPPER MAYBE ONE DAY.....

Very helpful info! It's amazes me how helpful you guys are. I fish freshwater 95 percent of the time but do enjoy the saltwater experience when I can make the 2 hour drive. I choose sweetwater in Delacroix due the help I recieve there and the tips you guys offer. I would offer anything I could but don't have the knowledge to share. Fish taxi showed me around the Delacroix area and gave me plenty of helpful tips to turn my second trip ever into a success with 10 trout & over 100 white vs my first saltwater trip of fishing for 8 hours and only catching 4 trout & 1 red.

Because of people like y'all it helps keep the fun, enjoyment, & excitement of being on the water!

I thought I might offer a suggestion to you since you said you fish freshwater. Think of bottom fishing the same way you would work a worm. Once your bait is on the bottom, use a slow retrieve and bounce the bait along the bottom. Once the water temps start dropping, the trout are not as aggressive. Oftentimes, the bite is very subtle and having a sensitive rod will enable you to detect the bite. Make long casts to cover as much area as possible. If there is a shelf or a run-out, work that area. Once the water temps warm up, the trout will move up into the shallow flats.
Welcome to the wonder world of marsh fishing! I use to bass fish back in the 70's and early 80's. I started chasing reds and trout in 1982 and have never stopped! Good luck to you.

Capt Kim you are indeed the man. Your reputation for your willingness to help other fisherman is true indeed. I always look forward to reading your posts and believe me I pay close attn to your suggestions.